Match

Gold Coast Suns vs Essendon

Commentary / 26 Mar 2016

Pre Game

59:30

Welcome to Metricon Stadium for the Gold Coast Suns v Essendon Round 1 clash.

59:40

Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.

00:00

This preseason an undermanned Essendon has again showed ability away from the contest, on average winning 19 more uncontested possessions than its opposition per game (ranked 5th). In 2015 the Bombers averaged 20 more uncontested possessions (ranked 3rd)

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

01:57

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (David Zaharakis)

03:17

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Touk Miller)

03:29

A quick goal to both sides to start the match. Gold Coast has won both centre clearances, with its second leading directly to the goal to Touk Miller.

05:09

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Jack Martin)

07:15

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Nick Malceski)

11:57

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Gary Ablett)

12:10

Since Essendon's early goal, Gold Coast has controlled much of the play. So far the Suns have had the ball inside their forward half for 70 per cent of the match and have recorded 10 of the first 14 forward 50 entries.

14:41

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Jesse Lonergan)

15:00

Essendon is struggling to move the ball successfully out of its back line, with only 56 per cent of kicks effective in its defensive 50. Gold Coast has already intercepted five times in its forward half, with two directly resulting in goals.

17:30

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Tom J. Lynch)

17:40

Gold Coast has received the first eight free kicks of the match, with Sam Day receiving his third free kick and with it delivering to Tom Lynch, who converts successfully.

19:08

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)

19:44

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Nick Malceski)

22:19

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Gary Ablett)

22:27

Gold Coast has registered the last 11 forward 50 entries and now have recorded a 19-4 advantage in inside 50s for the quarter. Inside forward 50, the Suns have won 20 disposals compared to just one by the Bombers.

25:35

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Tom J. Lynch)

28:04

Gold Coast has completely dominated this term, with 13 shots at goal (including three misses) compared to just the one goal to Essendon. The Suns have taken six marks inside forward 50 while the Bombers have taken just one.

29:14

The siren has sounded to end Q1.

29:15

Only on one occasion in Gold Coast's 110 matches at AFL level have the Suns recorded more inside 50s in a quarter than the 22 in the first term (23 against North Melbourne in second quarter in Round 11 2013).

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

00:37

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Shaun McKernan)

02:52

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Joe Daniher)

03:48

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Ryan Crowley)

04:02

Essendon has steadied in the early stages of the second term. The Bombers have recorded 20 disposals at 95 per cent effectiveness, compared to the Suns' 11 disposals at just 45 per cent. Essendon has kicked 2.1 (13) from three forward 50 entries.

04:56

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Gary Ablett)

06:00

In his first match since Round 17 2015, Ablett has 15 disposals and now a goal from outside 50. He has kicked 28 goals on the run from outside the arc in his career, with only Nathan Eagleton (35) and Daniel Rich (29) kicking more of that type since 1999

07:33

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Aaron Hall)

11:46

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Jack Martin)

13:33

Gold Coast is capitalising on the mistakes Essendon is making in its back line. The Bombers have made 15 clangers in its defensive half to just four by the Suns. Gold Coast has already created 5.2 (32) from 16 intercepts in its forward half.

13:56

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Tom J. Lynch)

15:06

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Jarrod Harbrow)

16:34

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Callum Ah Chee)

17:30

Callum Ah Chee has kicked a goal with his first kick in his first AFL match. The 18-year-old was selected by Gold Coast with the eight selection in the 2015 AFL National Draft.

17:38

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Gary Ablett)

20:33

Essendon has been very wayward with its delivery by foot, with already ten kicks chopped off as intercept marks by its Gold Coast opponents. In 2015, the competition average was 14 intercept marks per team per game.

22:19

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Dion Prestia)

25:21

Gary Ablett has now won 20 disposals or more before half time in 32 of his past 149 matches. The most disposals he has won in the first half is 27 on two occasions (2009 Geelong-Brisbane and 2013 Round 17 Gold Coast-Collingwood)

25:57

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Kyle Langford)

28:14

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Tom J. Lynch)

29:43

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Joe Daniher)

29:53

Essendon's accuracy when shooting for goal is helping its cause. The Bombers have kicked three goals straight from inside 50 and 2.1 from outside the arc. Joe Daniher has marked twice outside 50 now for a goal and behind.

30:59

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Touk Miller)

32:21

The siren has sounded to end Q2.

32:22

A 44-point lead is Gold Coast's second-largest advantage to half time in its seventh year in the competition. The Suns' 75 points is also the club's equal-second highest scoring first half since their inception.

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

00:43

With 40 inside 50s, Gold Coast has recorded the most forward 50 entries by any team to half time since 2014 (Fremantle recorded 41 in Round 14).

03:46

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Aaron Hall)

05:18

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Mathew Stokes)

07:38

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (David Zaharakis)

07:43

Essendon has kicked the first goal of every quarter, with Zaharakis kicking the first major in the first and third terms. He has won a team-high 19 disposals, three clearances and five inside 50s to go with his two goals.

07:47

Suns Interchange - Jesse Lonergan off due to the blood rule.

08:25

Suns Interchange - Trent McKenzie off due to the blood rule.

09:36

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Rushed)

10:14

Essendon has made a promising start to the second half. After being dominated with and without the ball in the first half, the Bombers have registered six of the first nine inside 50s in the third quarter and have kicked 1.2 (8) to one behind.

12:43

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Sam Day)

13:17

Gold Coast has asserted its dominance in the air, with five more contested marks than Essendon (7-2). Sam Day has taken his first contested mark of the match and kicked the Suns' first goal of the third term.

14:52

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (David Zaharakis)

15:36

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Aaron Hall)

16:12

Aaron Hall is continuing 2016 where he left off after a break-out 2015. After only six disposals in the first term, Hall has now won a game-high 26 disposals including seven inside 50s and seven score involvements.

17:25

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Ryan Davis)

17:54

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Alex Sexton)

18:25

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Nick Malceski)

18:57

Gold Coast has now won 25 intercepts in its forward half, in turn directly leading to 6.5 (41) including the goal to Malceski. In 2015 the league average was 21 forward half intercepts per team per game.

20:52

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (David Zaharakis)

22:31

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Ryan Davis)

23:24

Ryan Davis misses his set shot to the right-hand side in his first AFL match since Round 21 2009. He played 14 matches for West Coast between 2008 and 2009.

24:38

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Tom J. Lynch)

25:30

2015 Gold Coast Club Champion Tom Lynch looks to be again the spearhead for the Suns this season. The forward has now taken six marks, with four inside the 50 metre arc. He has converted all four set shots into goals.

25:39

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)

27:00

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Mathew Stokes)

28:11

The siren has sounded to end Q3.

28:12

A more competitive Essendon in the third term couldn't prevent Gold Coast winning its third consecutive quarter. The Bombers won 13 more disposals and only two fewer forward 50 entries than the Suns, yet the Suns increased their lead by 13 points.

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

01:01

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Mathew Stokes)

01:40

Essendon completes the set with the first goal of every term, sourced from the centre clearance. Although the Bombers have won five fewer centre clearances than the Suns (10-15), they have generated three goals directly from this source.

03:09

Trent McKenzie is back on the ground after missing most of the third quarter after a heavy clash. The defender has taken a game-high four intercept marks. Gold Coast has taken 14 intercept marks compared to just the two by Essendon.

04:56

SCORE GOAL - Bombers (Mathew Stokes)

05:05

Mathew Stokes has kicked the past three goals of the match, in his first game for Essendon. The two-time Geelong premiership player kicked 203 goals in 189 games for the Cats.

08:34

Essendon has controlled the early parts of the last term with 38 disposals at 84 per cent effectiveness compared to Gold Coast's 13 disposals at only 62 per cent effectiveness. The Bombers have won four of the five forward 50 entries this quarter.

09:40

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Sam Day)

12:42

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Touk Miller)

14:11

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Callum Ah Chee)

14:51

The battle in the ruck has been intriguing, with Leuenberger and Nicholls both attending 51 ruck contests. Leuenberger has won six more hit outs, however Nicholls has won a personal best 13 hitouts to advantage.

14:53

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Rushed)

16:34

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Adam Saad)

18:23

SCORE BEHIND - Bombers (Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti)

19:32

SCORE BEHIND - Suns (Alex Sexton)

22:30

Suns Interchange - Adam Saad off due to an injury.

22:39

SCORE GOAL - Suns (Alex Sexton)

24:52

Aaron Hall has won a game-high and personal-best 36 disposals. His work rate is shown by game-highs in 18 handball receives and nine forward 50 entries. He has been involved in 11 of the Suns' 36 scoring possession chains.

27:53

The siren has sounded to end Q4.

27:54

Gold Coast has started 2016 emphatically, winning every term to run out 61-point winners against Essendon. This is the Suns' third-highest winning margin since their inception in 2011.